All posts by Axonn Echysttas

Mentatul.

Kalya Scintilla – Boab

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The trees are throwing a party and we’re invited. This is perhaps what Kalya Scintilla’s version of what the Boab corner of the party would sound like. As usual when it comes to this artist, the listener is treated to a staggering array of rhythms and sounds.

I have to say that at this party, I can hardly contain my body. Even though I am sitting on a chair donning my headphones, I cannot contain the grooves as they keep moving me left and right. It’s good I’m in no rush to type this, because this means I can make all sorts of gestures with my hands as the song keeps digging its way into the tribal parts of my awareness.

Kalya Scintilla is one of what I’d like to call the “titans of psybient”. This song comes straight from an EP the artist launched this year. I’m happy it happened so, because I was actually looking for a good Kalya Scintilla song to feature on the Weekly Song. Now I have two. The other one will probably be featured next year.

You can listen to the song for free, in good quality, on BandCamp, which is one of the best websites when it comes to supporting artists. You can also purchase the song (or the EP) from this same location. And in case you’re wondering, yes, I did purchase Kalya Scintilla’s EP :).

https://kalyascintilla.bandcamp.com/track/boab^

YouTube (decent quality):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yGrsTZpe7c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yGrsTZpe7c^

For Spotify Users (high quality):

https://open.spotify.com/track/057USOSey2cIDaCuAKugTM^

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The NSA Goes Commercial with Data Restoration Service

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During its first participation at the International Big Data Conference, the National Security Agency made a surprise announcement:

“We are in a fortunate position that allows us to uniquely compete with Amazon, Google, DropBox and other major cloud providers. Since we already have all our potential customers’ data, instead of charging for data storage like our competitors, our service will provide files and passwords restoration. Say you lose a beloved picture, or you forget some password. You just log in to the all-new NSA Data Restoration Portal and, for a moderate fee, you can recover any of your digital information”, declared Eddie Rainhouse, product manager for the NSA’s new Monetization Initiative that has been created within the Data Collection Services Division.

The news has already caused quite a stir in the cloud computing community. Private companies complain that they can’t compete with the NSA’s eleven billion dollars budget and glowing public reputation.

The famed American security agency has also purchased struggling hard disk maker Seagate in order to “ensure a steady and healthy increase of available storage capacity in order to accommodate more potential customers”.

So far, members of the NSA’s Data Restoration Beta Program seem very satisfied with the service:

“I accidentally wiped my iPhone. I didn’t even have to get out of the house to fix it. I just connected it to my MacBook and accessed NSA’s Data Restoration portal. Twenty minutes and ten bucks later, everything was back in working order. Even my family videos are there, along with all my applications. They even restored my Candy Crush progress. It’s an amazing service!”, declared Manny Datas of Arizona.

Another user, Lo Safeson was saved by the NSA’s PayBack Plus service: “Somebody hacked my Facebook account. I immediately logged in to the NSA portal and I used the Facebook back door system to reset the password of my account. For three hundred dollars I also got an NSA consultant to delete all stolen private information from the hacker’s computer.”

The NSA ensured us that they have a solid authentication service in place that makes sure that nobody except the user and the authorities can access the user’s data. It’s a custom built three-factor login process that uses classified biometric data.

For those that would like to enter the Data Restoration Beta Program, there is an early-hawk discount available until the end of 2016. For your convenience, the NSA has allowed us to publish a list of currently provided services:

  • Full Data Restoration: restores any or all of your devices to the previous state of your choosing. Backups are updated regularly for any data-capable device. The backups will not count against your data quota, since the NSA has working agreements with most Internet Service Providers and is part of International Intelligence Agencies Coalition for Data Safety.
  • Memories Recovery: using this feature, you can recover deleted e-mails or messages from any popular provider. You can also playback old telephone or Skype conversations, as long as they’ve taken place in the past five years.
  • Password Recovery: as the name implies, you can recover your password, in clear text, for any website you visited in the past decade.
  • PayBack Plus: provides counter-attack measures to be used against hackers involved in identity theft. You can remotely delete stolen information and expose hackers to public authorities.
  • Sneaky Peeky: provides read-only access to your NSA history, allowing you to gauge the possibilities of the service and determine what sort of Data Restoration operation you’d like to go for.
  • NSA MVC (Most Valued Customer) Subscription: also known as the NSA Prime, this subscription requires you to pay a small annual fee. Doing so will award you Data Restoration Priority Golden Elephant, as well as tempting discounts for any current or future NSA customer-centric service.

 

 

 

This text has been published in the “Satire” category for a good reason.
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Eskmo – We Got More

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But it’s true, isn’t it? We got more than we had before. The way the words are spoken and the way the music frames them is strangely compelling. “As a whole, we got more than we had before. And that’s that”, the song whispers in this listener’s mind.

This is one entertaining ride.  I feel the “addiction” potential in it. It’s a groovy piece with a solid thumping tempo. Topping things up is a wonderfully crazy video. As I was watching it, I realized that the graphical style is familiar to me. The way the animations are combined and the playfulness behind them made me think of a certain artist. I was too busy being entertained by the video to read” the words my subconscious was texting me. And I didn’t need to, because, sure enough, at the end of the video, that exact artist was mentioned. Cyriak^! I erupted into mad laughter as I was thanking the Universe for bringing these artists together and allowing me to bask in the glorious heat caused by the union of their intellects.

YouTube (very nice video, shorter song version):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WaoImXPMtE^

YouTube (decent quality):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HE0pkMtVwGg^

For Spotify Users (high quality):

https://open.spotify.com/track/6MyvAyuqostquGKkXDIKu9^

For Deezer Users (high quality):

http://www.deezer.com/track/10236314^

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Putin Says DNC Hacking Was Public Service

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About a month ago, Putin declared that the hacking of the Democratic National Committee was a service done to the American public. Russia maintains that it had no involvement in the breach carried by hackers based there. Putin’s words have sparked my interest though, for two reasons. But first, here’s the article about the statement:

http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20160902/putin-says-dnc-hacking-was-service-to-public^

First of all, I have to say that indeed, the hacking can be seen as a service to the public. The Americans have a right to know how they are cheated by the Establishment. The information uncovered is probably just scratching the surface, but it’s a start. It’s too bad that many people seem to have lost all initiative to do something about the way the system cheats them. But at least the information is out there.

The second reason why Putin’s statement amused me is: would he say the same thing if somebody would expose deeply sensitive information belonging to the party associated with him, United Russia? I imagine that there’s a fair amount of “funny stuff” to be leaked that would also be in the interest of the (Russian) public. It’s easy to be all righteous when you’re not in the spotlight. To be honest, I believe United Russia’s records contain more dirt than the Democrats’.

Later edit: well isn’t it cute. The USA is a sad panda over what they think is Russia’s meddling in their election. I guess Putin struck a chord. Ouch!

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/obama-administration-accuses-russian-government-of-election-year-hacking-229296^

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Devin Townsend – Fly

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The saying goes that Devin Townsend once dreamt that he was flying. Then, he decided to write a song that would best represent his dream. This is the result.

It’s one of the most positively charged songs that I know. There is so much peace in this melody that one could calm the Middle East with it. Even so, there’s a lot going on inside these magical four minutes. Across the airy textures the listener is accompanied on their journey by all sorts of guitars and magical electronic fairies that spiral up and up and up. And up there, we’re met by his and her sweet voice. Close your eyes and let your mind soar.

Disclaimer 1: even though I made up the part about Devin’s dream, I did not lie about the feeling of flying. I did dream about flying, like so many others. At least as far as I’m concerned, yes, this song is a beautiful metaphor for the feeling of flying.

Disclaimer 2: regarding the “calming the Middle East” part, I seriously believe in therapy through art. Of course, the mind has to be prepared for it, but there are tools and shortcuts for that too. If only there would be a will… because as the saying goes, where there’s a will, there’s a way.

YouTube (decent quality):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ5UAnGLqQI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ5UAnGLqQI^

For Spotify Users (high quality):

http://open.spotify.com/track/1pZUfKZRItZYV8W4f5smIJ^

For Deezer Users (high quality):

http://www.deezer.com/track/108557446^

This Weekly Song entry has been brought from the FaceBook archive of Weekly Song^. This exploration was originally started through a FaceBook page, about 13 months prior to launching Mentatul. Slowly but surely, the entire FaceBook archive will be brought here.

Original post:

It’s time to fly! This song has been at my side through countless precious moments, helping me soar through the infinite landscapes of my mind. Devin Townsend’s usual style is progressive metal, but this gem I’m showing you now would better be categorized as “acoustic ambient”.

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Connection Between Ultrasound, Autism and Genetic Disorders?

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A recent study has found a possible connection between the severity of autism symptoms in children and ultrasound scans during the first trimester of pregnancy. Apparently, the worsening of symptoms occurs only when certain genetic disorders are involved. But here’s the thing: if ultrasound does have an effect, it means that it affects any fetus, regardless if there are symptoms or not. Check out the article:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160901152140.htm^

Today, we believe that the fetus cannot hear ultrasound. Even so, we’re still talking here about a high frequency vibration which is propagated through the cells of the body in order to be picked up by a receiver. But what if during the ear’s development, the frequencies range it can pick up changes? Even without this study, I was always squeamish about subjecting an unborn being to what is, in my view, a breach of environment.

Don’t get me wrong, ultrasound scans have saved and improved many lives, allowing parents and doctors to be prepared for certain complications. What I’m saying is that ultrasound shouldn’t be abused. There are mothers who perform the procedure for more than ten times during a pregnancy. In Sweden, they only recommend a single appointment, but in many other countries, for example in the South-East of Europe, an echography is made at almost every doctor visit.

During this technology revolution that we’re going through, I think it’s essential to remind ourselves that our methods are still quite primitive in many regards. We should second-guess our practices and always strive to infringe as little as possible upon our bodies. Our cells are sensitive to all sorts of stimuli, and the high frequency vibration of ultrasound might not exactly be indicated for a being whose brain is in early development. It is my opinion that we should invest in finding new methods of diagnostic that are even less intrusive.

Later update: here’s an even more comprehensive article about ultrasound pros and cons: http://www.mamanatural.com/baby-ultrasound/^

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Pink Floyd – Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2

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How many generations sang, heard or read these words?

“We don’t need no education
We don’t need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey teacher leave them kids alone
All in all it’s just another brick in the wall
All in all you’re just another brick in the wall”

More importantly, how many truly understood the meaning of these words? A lot, I think. But how many of these people ended up with any decisional power and with the attitude to change things for the better? Looking at the state of the educational system in the year 2016, it seems like the system has an even stronger grip on our brains than it had almost four decades ago when these words were written. Beaming from all directions, the informational overload is more efficient than ever in programming young and old minds alike. Perhaps it’s time to implement an Intellectual Diet^?

What about the song itself though? It’s a wonderfully groovy rock song, bursting with diversity, glistening with the masterful composition of space rock titans Pink Floyd. “The Wall” album is a powerful statement against a system designed to format minds and crush bones and bricks alike. For me, it’s impossible to post this song anywhere without an honest declaration of solidarity towards the principles it embodies.

Thank you for having been here, Pink Floyd.

YouTube (decent quality):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrxX9TBj2zY^

For Spotify Users (high quality):

https://open.spotify.com/track/21jBRxUvrWXTwBfGnQwyVy^

For Deezer Users (high quality):

http://www.deezer.com/track/13795692^

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CRISPR. Designer Babies on the Way?

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It was bound to happen sooner or later. CRISPR^, the acronym associated with a major breakthrough in genetic engineering has just brought us much closer to being able to perform arbitrary changes in living organisms. This is important because it may bring us closer to finding cures for thousands of diseases, create anti-aging treatments and even change features in our unborn children.

Below, you will find more information along with an easy to understand video about bioengineering and a future the use of CRISPR might create.

http://www.sciencealert.com/this-video-explains-perfectly-why-crispr-really-will-change-humanity-forever

I found the video to be a bit on the wishful thinking side. Some years ago we thought very highly about mapping the human genome but the results were seriously below optimists’ expectations. While CRISPR is definitely a step forward in our knowledge about the building blocks* of life, using this knowledge is much more complex than a video-cartoon would like to illustrate.

I sometimes feel that these videos bank on our wishful thinking. Even worse, they tend to play down the serious ethical concerns resulting from some of the proposed advances (they claim that we already perform pre-selection of fetuses so why not go further? To me, that’s like saying that using a nuclear bomb is fine if we already used a pistol). Will a poor family in Africa afford to genetically improve their children? Also, let’s not forget that our medicine is still quite primitive and life is not actually made of “building blocks”. It’s all much more complex than that.

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Trump, in. Musk, out. Escaping to Mars

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After months of reading the media coverage about the elections in the USA, the Tesla Motors chief has become seriously depressed. Fortunately, after a meeting with his secret team of advisers, Musk came up with a plan^:

“We realized that there is a fantastic business opportunity here. There are very many Americans who, like me, would prefer to evacuate Earth after the election, regardless of who wins. Therefore, in the coming years, we intend to purchase several mining companies and strip-mine the planet, sending as many people as possible to Mars. For a modest price, of course.”

Around the world, demonstrators gathered in support of the measure. Apparently, the same feeling is felt in many other countries; the feeling that democracy is a fake and that the options on the menu are controlled by the Establishment^.

We’ve reached out to NASA for a comment. We got the following statement out of NASA’s administrator, Charles Bolden:

“We’re really thankful to Elon. Considering that in the following years more and more of our country’s budget will go into buggy fighter airplanes^ and cyber-warfare^, we will probably find ourselves without a job by 2020. We expect that after the elections Elon’s business will… let’s say skyrocket… and he’ll definitely consider hiring us into the sprawling SpaceX empire.”

Not surprisingly, many personalities have already pledged several hundreds of millions of dollars in order to be on the first boat to leave the backward, dying world.

“We’ll bring high quality rap to Mars, we’ll make Mars an artist’s paradise”, said Kanye West, donning a cap with a blinged-out racing car wheel with a picture of Mars in the middle.

Religious personalities won’t be missing either. Here’s what Romanian Orthodox Church leader Patriarch Daniel had to say: “We believe that every man, woman and child has the right to spiritual education. Our 21st century educational model is unsurpassed in the entire Europe. Our Sunday School will provide the perfect spiritual nourishment for the home-sick cosmonaut.”

BREAKING UPDATE: soon after publishing this article, we were contacted by Donald Trump’s campaign HQ with the following statement:

Donald would like to thank you for publishing what is undoubtedly a truth of the modern world. This state of fact has upset Mister Trump for a great many years, which is partially the reason for his sometimes erratic behavior. However, Donald would like to promise that shortly after he is being elected, he will formally request that SpaceX is given at least as much budget as NASA.

Also, as a new-found faithful Christian, Donald will take a page from the Bible and send his flesh and blood, his son, lovingly called Donald Trump Junior, as one of the first colonists to Mars. Mister Trump has asked me to forward the following official statement:

“Donald will sacrifice himself to deliver all Martians from sin. He will work tirelessly from his mansion on top of Olympus Mons to best represent Mars in the colony’s relations with me, Emperor of Earth, Trump the First.”
 

This text has been published in the “Satire” category for a good reason.
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Yonderboi – I Am Cgi

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Even though it starts with a rather plain guitar, there’s something about those early seconds that betray this song for the chameleon that it really is. Soon enough, all sorts of other rhythms and sounds pop out of nowhere and it becomes harder and harder to slap a genre over this melody.

And why would we? Genres may be good for helping us find more of the music that we like, but at times, the terminology that we use to categorize works of art becomes the fence that limits the artist’s creativity. The good news is that Yonderboi didn’t allow himself to be limited by anything.

YouTube (decent quality):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0ToEp7jgfE^

For Spotify Users (high quality):

https://open.spotify.com/track/2ZpK1QsOsIQd0L6lHi8yy4^

For Deezer Users (high quality):

http://www.deezer.com/track/45045191^

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